Monument construction

ABSTRACT

The construction of the present invention comprises a monument in which the stone portion is cut out to provide a central opening in place of the usual carving of the stone. Into this cut out portion is mounted a plastic embedment. This comprises a clear plastic block, usually made of Lucite, in which any desired insignia or wording can be floated in a conventional manner. The embedment is mounted in the opening in such manner that the mounting means are not visible to the eye. This produces a smooth effect, the plastic material wearing exceptionally well, even as long as the stone. This materially cuts the cost, increases the speed of manufacture, and permits changes or additions in the monument by merely changing the embedment.

United States Patent Tate, Jr. Mar. 14, 11972 [54] MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION 2,124,143 7/1938 Long ..40/l24.5 X [72] Inventor: Charles G. Tate, Jr., North Providence, 3438l59 4/1969 Bergener et al Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [73] Assignee: Tate Manufacturing Company, Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Providence, RI. Attorney-Max Schwartz [22] Filed: May 21, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [2i] P 39,266 The construction of the present invention comprises a monument in which the stone portion is cut out to provide a central 52] 11.5. C1 ..s2/104 Pehih8 in Place Of the usual carving the him 511 in C1. ..E0lf 9/02 is "whhied a Piaiiiic emhedhiehi- This P' a 53 Field of Search ..40/124.5 135 125' 52/103 clear Piasiic "suaiiy made Cite, which any 52/104 desired insignia or wording can be floated in a conventional manner. The embedment is mounted in the opening in such manner that the mounting means are :not visible to the eye. [56] References Cited This produces a smooth effect, the plastic material wearing ex- UNITED STATES N S ceptionally well, even as long as the stone. This materially cuts the cost, increases the speed of manufacture, and permits 307,129 10/1884 Macy ..40/ 124.5 changes or ddi i i the monument by merely changing the 853,407 5/1907 Hansen..... 40/1245 embedmem 955,720 4/1910 Thomas ..40/124.5 1,071,226 8/1913 Goodsell et a1. ..40/135 UX 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEDHAR 14 I972 3, BABAZZ Charles G. Tate, J21,

z:i 29/ 27 Inventor,

MONUMENT CONSTRUCTION My present invention relates to monuments and similar markers and more particularly to a monument made of a combination stone and plastic material.

The principle object of the present invention is to provide a monument in which the insignia is floated in a conventional plastic embedment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a monument having a plastic embedment mounted therein in which the method of mounting is concealed to produce a clear plastic construction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a monument construction which can be easily and rapidly assembled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a monument construction in which the device, insignia, or other matter to be placed on the monument can be rapidly manufactured and inserted in the stone at a later date.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a monument construction in which the monument marker is not subject to erosion by the weather and will last as long as the monument.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a monument embodying my present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section thereof taken on line 2-2 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another form of my invention.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another form of my invention showing an alternative form of anchoring the plastic embedment.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 on FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sections of various forms of strips used for locking the embedment in the form shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The conventional monument or grave marker comprises a slab of stone on which a stonecutter carves an insignia or other desired wording by hand. This is done slowly and laboriously, takes a great deal of time and is costly. Furthermore, the carved face of the stone is subject to the erosion of weather. Many old grave markers are almost completely obliterated and some are very difficult to read. The present invention is designed to provide a grave marker or monument in which insignia and other wording becomes part of a conventional type plastic embedment. These embedments are usually formed of blocks of Lucite in a transparent form. In accordance with the present invention provision is made to lock the embedment in the stone in such manner that the means for locking the embedment is invisible to produce a pleasing effect.

Referring more in detail to the drawings embodying my invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one form thereof. The conventional monument or marker comprises a base stone 10 with a large slab of stone 11 mounted vertically on the base 10. In accordance with the present invention the vertical slab of stone 11 is cut out in the center to form a rectangular cutout portion 12. I now provide a plastic embedment 13, which may be formed of transparent Lucite in which the insignia or other wording 14 is floated in the usual manner. Since the coefficient of expansion of the plastic 13 and the stone II are different, I provide a plastic frame 15 extending around the plastic embedment 13 and between the embedment and the stone as illustrated in FIG. 1.

To lock the embedment 13 within the opening 12, the lower portion of the embedment 13 is provided with an opaque section 16 which may be in color if desired. A pair of internally threaded metal socket portions 17 are embedded at the bottom of the plastic embedment 13 in the opaque portions 16. The slab 11 is provided with vertical openings 18 in alignment with the threaded portion of the members 117, the openings 18 having enlarged recesses 19 at the bottom end.

I now provide elongated bolts 20 which extend upwardly through the openings 18 and are threaded into the members 17. The heads of the bolts remain in the recesses 19 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. By providing a tight fit between the opening 12, the plastic frame 15, and the embedment 13, the embedment will be tightly held within the opening 12. The bolts 18 will then serve to lock the embedment in place. Since the threaded portion of the bolts is locked in the members 17, and the members 17 are embedded in the opaque portion 16 of the embedment, the assembly locking the embedment to the stone is invisible to the eye. Furthermore, since the stone is mounted on the base 10, the locking bolts are now hidden and actually locked away in the area of contact between the stone Ill and the base 10.

The form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 requires that the stone 1] be carved out into the rectangular opening 12. However, to avoid such carving the construction shown in FIG. 3 may be used. In this form the base 21 is provided with the concealed openings 22. The plastic embedment 23 is now mounted directly onto the base 21 with the opaque portion 24 having the internally threaded socket members 25 therein. A plastic frame 26 can be positioned around the plastic embedment 23 as in the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The embedment 23 is now locked directly to the base. The monument can then be completed by providing a vertical stone column 27 on each side of the central plastic embedment 23 together with a stone cap 28 to protect the seams from the weather. By cementing the stones in place, the monument can be constructed as ruggedly and permanently as the one shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The advantage of the construction shown in FIG. 3 is that it eliminates a great deal of stone carving, as the monument is actually assembled at the point of use.

If it is desired to eliminate the opaque portion and the anchoring bolts, the form shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be used. In this form the base 29 is provided in the conventional manner with the vertical slab 30. As in the form shown in FIG. l, the slab 30 is provided with a central rectangular opening 31 having the plastic frame portion 32 and the plastic embedment 33. However, in this form, the opening 31 is formed as shown in FIG. 5 with a rearward taper so that the opening is smaller at the rear than at the front. Similarly the plastic embedment 33 is also tapered. The embedment 33 is then pushed into position but cannot be pushed through the opening in view of the taper. To lock the embedment 33 in the opening the strips 32 are provided. These strips. may be T-shaped or L- shaped as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

While the strips are shown as extruded of metal, they can also be extruded of a plastic material. The strips 32 comprise a tapered tongue 34 and a large outside head 35. The tongue portion 34 is wedged into the space between the embedment 33 and the stone 30 in the opening 31 as shown in FIG. 5. In the form shown in FIG. 7, the wedge member 34 is now provided with serrations at 36 and the same smooth outside head 37. In the form shown in FIG. 8 the strip is L-shaped and the serrated end 38 is provided with a downwardly extending outside portion 39.

I have thus provided a monument or grave marker formed of a combination of a heavy stone with a translucent or transparent plastic embedment made of a material such as Lucite. The marking portion of the monument can therefore not erode nor can it be defaced since it is embedded in the plastic material. Furthermore I have provided different ways of anchoring the plastic embedment in the stone. In each of these ways, the method of anchoring is completely hidden from view so that the monument will always present a pleasing appearance.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the plastic embedment is positioned in a cutout portion of the stone. In this form shown in FIG. 3 the stone and the embedment are constructed on the site and require no carving. And in the form shown in FIGS. 4,

5 and 6, 7 and 8, the threaded bolts used for anchoring the plastic embedment in the previous forms is eliminated by a tapered construction and a wedged shaped strip.

Since the form shown in FIG. 3 is actually built up without carving out the stone, other methods can readily be used for locking the plastic embedment in place and eliminating the bolts. For example, the base 21 may be provided with a recess into which the opaque portion 24 of the plastic embedment will fit snugly. Now when the stones 27 and cap 28 are cemented in place, the embedment will be locked in place.

The simplest form of eliminating the bolts is to cement two flat pieces of stone, matching the monument, on the base 21 in the front and rear. The flat stone should be no thicker than the opaque portion 24 and may extend completely across the width of the monument. In both of the above constructions the plastic embedment 23 is locked in place without bolts.

All of the above tends to produce a monument which is pleasing to the eye, long lasting, and which is easy to manufacture and assemble. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

lclaim:

1. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markings embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said embedment having an opaque portion at its lower edge, said locking means being mounted in said opaque portion.

2. A monument as in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises spaced bolts extending vertically from the bottom edge of said stone marker, said embedment having a pair of spaced internally threaded socket members, said bolts threadedly engaging said socket members.

3. A monument as in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises spaced bolts extending vertically from the bottom of said stone base, said embedment having a pair of spaced internally threaded socket members, said bolts threadedly engaging said socket members.

4. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markings embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said embedment being positioned on said base, said stone marker comprising a stone column on said base on each side of said embedment and extending to the height of said embedment, and a stone cap horizontally across the top of said columns and said embedment. I

5. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markers embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said embedment being separated from said stone in said opening by a strip of plastic material compensating for differences in the coefficient of expansion.

6. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markers em bedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said locking means comprising a restricted taper in said opening, a similar taper on the perimeter of said embedment, whereby said embedment will not pass through said opening, and means for holding said embedment in said opening, said holding means comprising a strip of material having a flat decorated face portion and an integral wedge portion adapted to enter the area between said embedment and said opening. 

1. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markings embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said embedment having an opaque portion at its lower edge, said locking means being mounted in said opaque portion.
 2. A monument as in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises spaced bolts extending vertically from the bottom edge of said stone marker, said embedment having a pair of spaced internally threaded socket members, said bolts threadedly engaging said socket members.
 3. A monument as in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises spaced bolts extending vertically from the bottom of said stone base, said embedment having a pair of spaced internally threaded socket members, said bolts threadedly engaging said socket members.
 4. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markings embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said embedment being positioned on said base, said stone marker comprising a stone column on said base on each side of said embedment and extending to the height of said embedment, and a stone cap horizontally across the top of said columns and said embedment.
 5. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markers embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said embedment being separated from said stone in said opening by a strip of plastic material compensating for differences in the coefficient of expansion.
 6. A monument comprising a flat stone base, a stone marker mounted on said base in a vertical plane, an opening in said marker, a transparent plastic embedment mounted in said opening, said embedment having the monument markers embedded therein, and means for locking said embedment in said opening, said locking means comprising a restricted taper in said opening, a similar taper on the perimeter of said embedment, whereby said embedment will not pass through said opening, and means for holding said embedment in said opening, said holding means comprising a strip of material having a flat decorated face portion and an integral wedge portion adapted to enter the area between said embedment and said opening. 